Learning Hub · Licensing & Compliance
Emergency Vet Contacts
Why vet contact management matters
DEFRA Condition 9 requires that emergency veterinary care is available at all times, including out-of-hours. Inspectors will literally walk to your kennel wall and check whether emergency vet numbers are displayed. They'll also ask staff to name the primary vet practice and describe the out-of-hours procedure. Your vet contact register must be complete, current and accessible — both digitally and on the wall.
What to record for each vet contact
The system stores four types of vet contact, each serving a different purpose during an emergency:
Primary Vet
Your day-to-day practice. Record the practice name, lead vet name, phone, email, address, opening hours and RCVS registration number. This is who you call for non-urgent consultations, vaccinations and routine health concerns.
Emergency / OOH
Who you call at 2am when a dog has an obstruction. Record the out-of-hours phone number, whether they cover your area, typical response time, and the address of their nearest emergency clinic. Many primary vets redirect to a separate OOH provider after hours.
Specialist
Orthopaedic, dermatology, cardiology or other specialist referral practices. You may never need them, but having the details ready means a referring vet can arrange a transfer within hours rather than days.
Backup
A second general practice in case your primary is unavailable (closed for training, vet on holiday, phone lines down). Inspectors like seeing a backup — it shows you've thought about contingencies.
Watch: Building your emergency vet contact board
Building your emergency vet contact board — ready for the wall...
⭐
Oakfield Veterinary
Dr. Sarah Patel
📞
01onal234 567890
🚨
VetNow Emergency
📞
0800 123 4567
🔬
City Animal Hospital
Dr. James Wilson
📞
01onal234 111222
✅
Primary vet registered
✅
Emergency OOH contact available
💡
Print contact board for kennel wall display
✓ Vet contacts complete — emergency board ready to print
Display and accessibility requirements
Having the data in the system is only half the job. DEFRA inspectors check physical accessibility:
Wall display
Print your vet contacts and display them prominently in the main kennel area, near the phone, AND in the staff room. Laminate them to prevent weather damage in outdoor areas.
Staff knowledge test
Inspectors may ask any staff member: "Who is your emergency vet and what's the number?" If they can't answer, it's a compliance failure. Run monthly quizzes.
Mobile access
Staff walking the kennels should be able to access vet details from their phone. The system is fully mobile — save it as a phone bookmark or print a pocket card.
Out-of-hours procedure
Write a clear step-by-step OOH procedure: 1) Assess the emergency, 2) Call [number], 3) Describe symptoms, 4) Follow vet advice, 5) Record in incident log, 6) Notify owner. Post this next to the phone.
What happens when vet contacts are complete
Click each scenario to see the result and email preview
Primary vet registered
The system shows a green "Primary vet ✓" indicator. Your day-to-day animal health partner is on file with full contact details and RCVS verification.
Emergency OOH contact available
A red "Emergency" card appears at the top of the list. The OOH phone number is displayed in large, bold text — designed for fast access in a crisis.
Print for wall display
One click generates a formatted, large-print contact sheet. Primary vet in green, emergency in red, specialists in amber. Laminate it, date it, and pin it up.
Missing emergency contact
If no OOH vet is registered, a persistent amber warning appears on the page. DEFRA inspectors will immediately notice the absence — add one before your next inspection.
Pro tips for vet contact management
Call your OOH number at least once a year outside of an emergency to check it still works. Practices merge, numbers change, and the worst time to discover a dead line is during a crisis.
Record the RCVS number for each vet. This proves they're registered and qualified. Inspectors can check the RCVS register — if your vet isn't listed, questions will follow.
Add a "specialist for exotics" contact if you board rabbits, birds or reptiles. DEFRA treats these as separate species requiring species-appropriate vet access.
Update contacts every January as part of your annual compliance review. Vet practices change partners, locations and phone numbers more often than you'd think.
If your primary vet is a one-person practice, a backup is essential. What happens when Dr. Patel is on holiday? Having a second practice on file shows professional planning.
Include driving directions to the emergency clinic. In a late-night emergency with a distressed animal, you don't want to be searching Google Maps. Print turn-by-turn directions.
Some insurance policies require you to use their approved vet network. Check your policy and note any restrictions in the vet contact record.
Learning Hub • Emergency Vet Contacts
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